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How Do I Get Rid of an Animal Living Under My House?

March 15, 2023 | Wildlife

What is one to do when they hear a scratching sound under their house at night, or movement underneath the floorboards? Hearing that sound is never good news, but unfortunately, many Americans do each year. According to a 2014 study by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), 21 million homes are invaded annually by rats alone. And rats are just one of the many pests in Florida that like to live in crawl spaces, attics, or alongside the house foundation.

No one wants to find an unwanted guest living under their home. Thankfully, if that guest is a wild animal, there are steps you can take for not only wildlife removal, but hopefully to keep animals out from under the house. Read on to learn about different animals in crawl spaces, and when to call for help.

What Do You Do if You See an Animal Under Your House?

Ultimately, you should always call your local pest control if you spot something living in your crawl space. You may be tempted to handle it yourself, but this is never a good idea, for many reasons. Even if you’re able to accurately identify what kind of animal has set up shop in your house, attempting to remove it can result in any number of problems, such as:

Serious Injury: Animals don’t understand property laws, which means that if you try to remove them from your property, they’ll often see you as a threat. Sometimes, this means running away, but other times, well… let’s just say it can end badly. This goes not just for larger vermin like raccoons and moles, but also for rats. A single rat may not seem dangerous, but if you see one, chances are there are many more hiding in the shadows.
Disease: So, let’s say you decide to remove the raccoon on your own, and though you receive a few scratches and scrapes, you manage to survive. Unfortunately, those scratches and scrapes likely harbor any number of diseases. Rabies, salmonella, and various other parasites inhabit not just wild animals, but their droppings as well. This also means that even if you never see the animal, you’re still at risk of getting sick from its presence around the house.
Legal Troubles: Let’s say you somehow get the pest out of your house without incident, and you even manage to avoid getting sick. Do you have a permit for pest removal? Because if not, you may end up in an entirely different set of trouble. Some states—like Florida—require a specific permit to be able to remove nuisance wildlife from your property. A raccoon in your crawl space is scary, yes, but the government is scarier.

Let us remind you, all of the above negatives come with the assumption that you know what’s under your house. And the answer to that, isn’t always simple. You may be surprised to know just how many animals love living in crawl spaces. This, among other reasons, is what makes pest control so complex, and best left to a professional. But what animals live under a house? Let’s look at a few examples.

What Is Under My House?

Here are just a few common pests that might end up under your home:

Mice: This is likely the first thing people think about when they consider pests, and for good reason. Mice love to crawl in many more places than crawl spaces, using pipes and creating tunnels to navigate to different parts of the house. A single mouse may not be a massive problem on its own, but they reproduce rapidly. If left unchecked, getting rid of them can quickly become an insurmountable task.
Raccoons: A usual suspect for home invasion, raccoons are a challenge to get rid of for several reasons. Not only are they intelligent, but their paws are almost as dextrous as human hands. Those two traits combined make them difficult to remove, and the fact that they are nocturnal only adds to their elusiveness.
Moles: If you’re wondering “What is digging holes under my deck?” then moles are a likely answer. They are skilled enough at digging to get around your foundation and find themselves right inside your crawl space. Not only that, but because their diet consists of various insects and worms, their presence likely indicates that you have a lawn pest problem.

What Kind of Animal Is Living Under My House? Turner Pest Control Has the Answers

Regardless of what has taken shelter in your house, Turner Pest Control is here to help. Our team provides effective, fast wildlife removal services, including: